


Battered But Whole

by Kookykrumbs



Series: Fate Binds Us - Missing Scenes [7]
Category: Terminator (Movies), Terminator - All Media Types, Terminator Dark Fate, Terminator: Dark Fate
Genre: Established Relationship, F/F, Late Night Conversations, Snowed In, Wilderness Survival
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-16
Updated: 2020-02-16
Packaged: 2021-02-27 19:00:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,925
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22750639
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kookykrumbs/pseuds/Kookykrumbs
Summary: Grace and Dani have found shelter after their long arduous trek through a mountainous forest at the height of a Canadian winter.  But with Grace almost dead with exhaustion and Dani nursing various injuries, the two will have to remain strong for each other, as they only have one another to rely on to survive the next few crucial hours.  This is a direct sequel to my previous instalment, SOS-Fallen.
Relationships: Grace Harper & Dani Ramos, Grace Harper/Dani Ramos
Series: Fate Binds Us - Missing Scenes [7]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1608526
Comments: 7
Kudos: 74





	Battered But Whole

**Author’s Notes:** This seventh installment of my series takes place immediately after my last fic, [_SOS-Fallen_](https://archiveofourown.org/works/22674601). Yes, you do need to read that to understand this. Other than that, enjoy!

** Battered But Whole **

****

“You’ll be alright, Grace,” Dani said, trying to comfort a semi-conscious Grace. “Everything will be just fine. We made it… Thanks to you.”

Grace muttered something that Dani couldn’t quite understand. As best as she could tell, Grace wasn’t injured, but she also had no idea how much of physical toll their journey had taken on her. Dani stood up on unsteady feet. It was excruciating as her left leg was broken and bound by a splint. Trying to fight off her feeling of nausea, she slowly looked at her surroundings. It was so dark; it was difficult to see. Dani felt her way through the room, looking for any kind of light source.

She bumped various limbs on several unseen objects before she finally felt something useful to her. It felt like a wooden table. She waved her arms in front of her trying to feel if there was anything on there. She continued to grope the rough planks when her hands felt what seemed like a lantern. When her hand grazed something that felt like a box of matches next to it, a choked sob tore from her. _Thank God!_ With numb fingers she prayed wasn’t frostbitten, she struck a match and lit the lantern.

She quickly made her way back to where Grace was lying on the cot, at least as quickly as her injured body could move. Dani felt incredibly lightheaded. It took every ounce of willpower she had not to pass out right next to Grace. She knew she lost a lot of blood. But Grace came first… she always would. Dani observed Grace lying on the cot before her. A flashback came to her of a dingy motel in the middle of nowhere… Sarah having just dumped a bucket of ice on Grace… Dani remembered thinking it was a better idea to have placed Grace in the bathtub. She quickly tore her thoughts from the memories.

She was relieved to see Grace’s chest rising and falling steadily. It was definitely a good sign. She placed her two fingers to Grace’s throat feeling for a pulse. It was strong and steady. Considering their circumstances, Dani really couldn’t ask for more. Grace was just exhausted. She would be alright. At least, Dani prayed her diagnosis was correct.

Struggling to get up, Dani took stock of the contents of the shack. The cot that Grace was lying on was the only one in the room. What’s worse is that it was barely wide enough to hold one person comfortably. Above it, Dani could make out a shelf with an odd assortment of clothing. There were faded jeans, several pairs of socks, some long johns and some old work shirts. But most importantly, there was a stack of several wool blankets.

Dani continued her exploration and saw a wood cookstove. Luckily for her and Grace, the last occupants of the shack left a huge pile of wood stacked next to it. Dani started opening all the cupboards to take inventory of their contents. There were several canned goods – canned soup, ramen noodles and spam. Dani shrugged. Beggars couldn’t be choosers. Besides, she’s had far worse. In fact, the contents of the cupboard weren’t half bad. At least it was a break from dried biscuits.

As fast as her injured body would allow her, Dani got to work. The first thing she did was get a fire going on the stove. Dani could feel herself getting weaker, and she did her best to focus on the task at hand. Her loss of blood was no doubt the cause of her diminishing strength and increasing lightheadedness. But she forced herself to hang on for Grace. She quickly pushed her feelings of discomfort aside and started the daunting task of stripping Grace of her standard issued uniform. Grace was completely unconscious and was no help whatsoever. Dani almost vomited from the amount of exertion it took to complete the task. But in the end, she managed not to throw up – something she was sure Grace would appreciate – and she finally got her down to her birthday suit.

Instinctively, Dani looked away, trying to preserve Grace’s modesty. It was illogical, and her lover would be the first to tell her that there wasn’t anything there Dani hadn’t seen before. But they’d only been intimate in the last month, and it was still somewhat new to Dani. Anyway, she quickly wrapped Grace tightly with one of the woolen blankets. Knowing that half her battle was done, and the only thing left for her to do was get some food into Grace, Dani paused and looked at her beloved’s face. She was so beautiful. Her skin was flawless and pale, like a porcelain doll. Dani couldn’t help but smile at Grace’s stubborn jaw – stubborn even while she was unconscious. It was almost as if it was telling Dani, _I told you I wasn’t going to leave you behind._

“Grace?” Dani said, gently shaking her. “Can you wake up for me? You need to eat something.”

Grace muttered something unintelligible.

“I didn’t catch that. What did you say, Grace?” Dani asked.

“Mmm, love you, Dani.”

The tears in her eyes became a swimming blur. “I know, Grace. I know. Shhh, you don’t need to say anything right now. Just rest. You need to get your strength back.”

“Never… gonna… leave you…” Grace tried touching her cheek, but her arm fell before it could cross the distance.

“Yeah… you’ve proven that,” Dani said, as she tried to get some broth down Grace’s throat.

“We belong… together… always…” Grace said, weakly.

For a moment, Dani didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. Her stubborn girlfriend was the most frustrating person she knew. It was both a blessing and a curse to be loved so fiercely by one person. She knew Grace would die for her. She already had. And that was the cursed part of it all… in some ways, dying was easier. It was the one who had to keep on living without their other half that had to endure hell. Dani knew what that was like all too well.

“Dani…. You still mad at me?” Grace asked, sleepily.

“What can I say? You make it so difficult,” Dani said, teasingly. 

“Good…. Didn’t… wanna get stuck… on janitor duty.”

Dani laughed. Good to know Grace could still make a joke even only being semi-conscious. Dani gently took Grace’s face in her hands.

“I love you, Grace… so much…. And I’ll always love you… no matter what,” Dani said. Grace didn’t answer, her eyes remained closed. Dani wondered if she even heard her. Then she saw Grace’s mouth twist into a ghost of a smile, and she knew then she had.

Dani struggled to stand up to get some more broth for Grace when her vision began to dim. Before she knew it, she started swaying on her feet. She tried desperately to find some semblance of balance again. But she was in the grip of her vertigo. She fought against the dizziness, but soon lost. Her body gave in, and the last thing she remembered was dropping to her knees before losing consciousness.

**Some time later**

Grace cursed herself under her breath, calling herself every rotten thing she could think of. What kind of woman was she passing out on her girlfriend who was practically bleeding to death? Perhaps _bleeding to death_ was a bit extreme, but it was close enough. How long had she been unconscious? Grace tried to push away the cold hand of fear closing in around her heart. If Dani didn’t make it out of this alright, she would never forgive herself.

Grace realized that Dani had taken care of her at the cost of herself. When Grace had found her slumped on the floor, she’d still been in her freezing cold wet clothes. She’d quickly stripped Dani down to nothing. Her uniform had been soaked both from the melted snow as well as the blood from her wound. Grace had quickly put on a pair of jeans and an old work shirt she’d found on a shelf, then wrapped Dani with the woolen blanket she’d used on her earlier. She also took that opportunity to take care of Dani’s wound.

Grace had found an expired first-aid kit in the shack. Upon closer observation of Dani’s wound, she determined she could pull out the scrap piece of metal lodged in Dani’s side. Grace had pulled it out which caused it to bleed more. It definitely needed stitching. Thankfully, it didn’t seem infected.

“Hang on, my love. You’ll be fine,” Grace said, probably more for herself than Dani.

Grace examined Dani’s wound again. Unfortunately, her initial assessment had been correct. It definitely needed stitching. Something that Grace had to admit, she didn’t have much experience with. She searched the first-aid kit for anything she could use. After a bit of digging through the kit, she came across a suture needle and some dental floss. Grace sighed. It’d have to do.

She got up and dug through the cupboards. Luckily, she’d found one with a bottle of unopened vodka. She used that to clean Dani’s wound which caused her to stir a bit. Grace then went across the room to put the needle over the fire to sterilize it. She then washed her hands in some vodka when Dani broke the silence.

“Grace? What happened?” Dani groggily asked.

“Dani, thank god you’re awake. I was so worried with you suffering a concussion and all…. You’ve lost a lot of blood, but you’ll be okay, I promise.”

Grace approached Dani, but she jumped back. “Grace, what the hell do you think you’re doing with that needle?”

“Unless you haven’t noticed, you’re still bleeding. I have to stitch up your wound. No doubt that’s part of the reason you passed out,” Grace said.

“Wait, is that dental floss?” Dani said, incredulously.

“Oh, umm… yeah… that’s all we had,” Grace said, sheepishly.

Grace sat next to Dani on the cot. She pulled aside the blanket around Dani, exposing her wound completely.

“Whoa there, Dr. Quinn,” Dani said, swatting her hand away. “Since when have you ever stitched anything, let alone a person?”

“I can figure it out,” Grace said.

“Umm… I don’t think so.”

“Look, I’ll admit I’ve never done this before. But I’ve seen it done. And I know enough to recognize that your wound can’t simply be taken care of by a band-aid.”

Dani frowned. She looked down at her wound. She seemed to be contemplating her situation. After what seemed like forever, she finally relented. “Fine. Give me whatever’s left of that vodka.”

**A couple of hours later**

“C’mon, Dani, just one more bite,” Grace cajoled, holding a spoon to her mouth.

“I’m not an invalid, Grace. I can feed myself,” Dani said, grumpily.

“I know, but I also know you won’t finish your food.”

“Yeah, well, I’m not exactly in the mood for spam,” Dani said.

“It’ll help you get your strength back. Anyway, as high in sodium as this is, it’s still got a good amount of protein. Besides, American soldiers used to live off this stuff during the second world war. We can too.”

“Thanks for the history lesson, darling,” Dani said, forcing herself to swallow the last bite. “There, you happy?”

“Yes, thank you,” Grace said, smiling, thrilled that some of Dani’s sass had returned.

She noticed Dani shivering and she quickly took her in her arms. Dani obviously welcomed the gesture and snuggled into her even more. Grace grabbed a woolen blanket and wrapped it around the both of them. It was damn chilly in their shack.

“I wonder if the chopper Lieutenant Lee was flying managed to make its way back to base,” Dani said. “How the hell did Legion know we were coming?”

“I’m more concerned with the fact that they were able to detect us through our cloaking devices. Are they that quick in developing new technology? Despite all our reconnaissance and intelligence gathering, we missed this completely. It’s beyond scary,” Grace said.

“It was a trap. And we walked right into it. I’m a terrible leader,” Dani said, shaking her head.

“Don’t talk that way, Dani. That’s the furthest thing from the truth,” Grace said, adamantly. “We were working against the clock. We couldn’t risk those Rev-7s becoming operational. And we had no reason not to trust the intel we received.” 

“This never would have happened if Sarah had been the one leading…” Dani whispered.

“Sarah? Your teacher?” Grace asked. Over the years Dani had told her stories of the beloved friend she’d lost in the war with the machines.

“Yes,” Dani nodded. “My teacher, my friend… my abuelita.” 

“If she was here, what do you think she’d say?” Grace asked.

Dani snorted. “Probably something like, _what’s done is done, get off your pity pot, there’s plenty of machines left to kill._ ”

Grace giggled. “I’d have to agree.”

Dani laughed. “Thanks, that actually made me feel better. I actually heard her voice in my head for a moment… God, I miss her.”

Grace held Dani just a little tighter. “I wish I could have met her.”

“I hope you never have to.”

Grace couldn’t have heard her right. “What do you mean you hope I never have to? I thought she died.”

“Umm… No, you misheard me… I said, _I’m glad you never had to_. You wouldn’t have gotten along, I think.”

“Oh? How come?” Grace asked.

“You’re both headstrong. You would have clashed,” Dani said, a wistful look settling on her face.

“Well, from the stories you’ve told me, you’d be dead now if it wasn’t for her. She’ll have my debt of gratitude forever just for that,” Grace said, kissing Dani on her temple.

Dani sighed, just nodding. “Grace?”

“Yeah?”

“You did not leave me behind. Your priority should have been to save yourself.”

“That was never on the table, Dani.”

“But it was,” Dani insisted.

“Not to me,” Grace said, brooking no room for argument.

“And if we hadn’t found this shack, we’d both be dead now.”

“But we’re not. We’re alive, and most importantly, we’re together.”

“This is exactly why I didn’t want you joining the resistance, Grace.”

“And this is exactly why I wanted to. If I hadn’t been with you on this mission, you’d be dead now. I regret nothing, Dani.”

Dani just looked back at her, an exasperated smile forming on her face. “You’re always saving my life, Grace.”

Grace scoffed. “What are you talking about? This is like the first time.”

Dani looked awkwardly at her for a moment. “Umm… I meant, you saved me that first time by getting me out of the chopper before it exploded, then again when you carried me all the way here.”

“Oh, it’s just the way you said it made it sound like I’d been doing it for years.”

“Umm… anyway… I don’t want to seem ungrateful. And so, thank you, for everything.”

“You’re welcome,” Grace said, kissing Dani tenderly on the lips.

Dani gingerly turned around in her arms, all the while kissing her back. Their kiss soon became very passionately heated. Grace wanted so desperately for Dani to feel her love and devotion in that kiss. She wanted her love to melt away the fear in Dani’s heart of almost losing her, of their near-death experience.

She continued kissing her, never wanting to stop. Her desire for Dani was at a fever pitch. She could tell by Dani’s ragged breathing that she wanted her just as much. Since becoming a couple, they hadn’t gone more than two days without being intimate. This was their third. As far as Grace was concerned, they’d been deprived of each other for far too long. This wasn’t mere lust, it was a desperate need to be reunited in body with her soulmate. Grace was about to take things further, when she remembered Dani’s injuries. It was like being splashed with ice-cold water. But before Grace could pull back, the door to their shack burst open.

“Dani get behind me!” Grace immediately reached for her Glock and pointed it at the door.

She wasn’t expecting what she saw next. “Looks like you two weren’t expecting a rescue just yet.”

“Major Carter!” Dani yelled. “Oh, thank God you found us!”

Several more of the major’s soldiers soon followed her into the shack. They started with inspecting Dani first. Major Carter proceeded to explain to them how she and her team were able to track them down. Grace listened politely, feeling both relieved at being rescued and slightly annoyed by the timing of it. Well, as Dani said, beggars couldn’t be choosers.

**Author’s Notes:** What can I say, I’m a sucker for snowed-in romance LOL. Anyway, I can’t believe I’m already at my seventh installment. I’m hoping you’re all enjoying the character development with Grace and Dani. I’m getting close to Grace’s augmentation. Not sure yet if I’ll write one more installment before that or if it’s the next installment. I’m kind of making myself sad the closer I get to Grace’s inevitable departure to 2020. Oh well, thanks for reading and for your kind words of feedback. If you guys want to drop me a msg, feel free to e-mail me at kooky.krumbs@yahoo.com 


End file.
